For Isiah Runsabove, it was a moment of euphoria amplified by tragedy.

On Saturday at the state meet in Helena, the cross country runner for the Hays-Lodgepole Thunderbirds secured the school’s first state title in the sport since it opened its doors back in 1980.

He pointed to the sky.

He yelled and screamed.

He hugged anyone and everyone.

“I was happy for him,” Hays-Lodgepole cross country coach Corey Morgan said, “and I was thankful that he worked so hard and was able to do that because he has given a lot of youth hope to be able to do anything.”

Said Isiah, the boys’ Athlete of the Week: “It still feels unbelievable. It was pretty great. Even after a couple days, I was so shocked that it actually happened.”

Isiah’s emotional celebration was a result of much more than breaking down a barrier at a school not known for its cross country expertise.

This was for his mom, Jessica Marie Roper, who passed away in late February of 2011.

“I think that’s what makes it even more special is that he’s got a pretty good story,” Morgan said. “The deck was stacked against him, and he’s always just worked through it, you know? Just anytime over the summer you’d take a ride up in the Mission Canyon and he’s up there running all by himself a lot of times.”

In a Facebook post early Saturday morning on the day he was set to race, Isiah thanked Isabella Marie and Rhonda Snell for being like mothers to him ever since his mom passed away nearly seven years ago.

“They mean a lot to me,” Isiah said of grandparents Rhonda and Albert Snell, who have raised him. “I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without them guiding me through these past six, seven years without my mom.”

At an assembly earlier this week, the school honored Isiah for his accomplishments.

“We talked about how he is a warrior pretty much,” Morgan said. “He’s battled and he’s always kept his composure, even last year when he took second at state and third in track. He just said next year I’m going to try my hardest, even though he was still pretty nervous and scared.

“I told him that’s human to be scared. He’s a real good kid, and I don’t think anybody can take credit for what he’s done besides him, and that’s the way I feel about it. He’s put in the work and he did the time and he’s earned everything he’s gotten.”

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Event was Saturday in Helena
Wochit

On the ride home from Helena, Isiah and others discussed the addition of his state championship banner in the Hays-Lodgepole gym. Isiah was pretty pumped about it, Morgan said. Morgan is hopeful Isiah can attend college at a place like Montana State, Montana or Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan.

Great Falls High’s Teagan Olson and Glasgow’s Ellis McKean were also up for boys’ Athlete of the Week. All who have been nominated throughout the school year for Prep Athlete of the Week will be honored at the Great Falls Tribune’s third annual Northcentral Montana Sports Awards Banquet in the spring.

The banquet and our weekly Athlete of the Week online voting competition are sponsored by Benefis Health System. Nominations for Athlete of the Week can be sent to tribsports@greatfallstribune.com.